Patent · US Active

Articulatable surgical instrument comprising a firing drive

US9687230B2 · kind B2 · utility

1,519Cited by

2,439References

23Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Ethicon, Inc. · US

Inventors

Richard L. Leimbach · Cincinnati, US
Kevin M. Montgomery · Morrow, US
Wendy A. Kerr · Cincinnati, US
Thomas W. Lytle, IV · Monroe, US
Mark D. Overmyer · Cincinnati, US
Brett E. Swensgard · West Chester, US

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 30, 2035

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01D5/145
WIPO fieldMedical technology
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A surgical instrument can comprise a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, and an end effector rotatably coupled to the shaft by an articulation joint. The surgical instrument can further include a staple cartridge positioned within the end effector and a firing drive operably coupled with a trigger wherein the operation of the trigger can advance and/or retract a firing member of the firing drive relative to the end effector. The surgical instrument can further comprise an articulation drive which is selectively engageable with the firing drive. When the articulation drive is engaged with the firing drive, the operation of the firing drive can operate the articulation drive and articulate the end effector. When the articulation drive is not engaged with the firing drive, the firing drive can be operated independently of the articulation drive.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.